The river press. [volume] (Fort Benton, Mont.) 1880-current, 1887-09-28

Lave DG6u p1dCl145 u11o d1i5fo oAD NeN
boiling the ends of the rails together,
leaving just enough space between the
ends of the rails to provide for expansion
which may be caused by summer heat.
Thirty-two spike drivers" follow the
strappers, accompanied by Is "nippers"
and four spike ''peddlers." The peddlers
drop the spikes at the end Of the ties.
The nippers are provided with steel crow
bars, to which is attached a wooden full
crum, and with this tool they raise the
top of the tie snug up against the
bottom of the rail while the spike is being
driven. This force of "peddlers" ''strap-
pers" and spike drivers can keep right up
with the forward trolly. Where the ends
Of the rails join, it is called joint, and
here an extra tie is provided SO that the
end of each rail rests firmly on it's own in
dependent Joint tie. Two men are pro-
vided who have nothing to do but to ad
Just the two ties that rest snugly togeth-
er at the Joint The ends of the rails hav-
ingbeen securely bolted together with
angle bars, which fit the angle at the bot
tom of the rails, are, with the rails, spiked
securely to the two ties, This makes
strong and secure joint.
j.. This completes the work of the advance
track layers, except probably to stralghten
up the track a little should it be out OF
true line, which very seldom happens and
is easily done by means of crow bars.
To do the work of placing ties, hauling
iron and laying rails requires 90 men ex-
elusive of the foremen for each gang. All
of this force is under charge of foreman j.
FL. Benson, who had charge of the same
work on the Canadian Pacific, and who
has had more experience in this line than
any man in the world, having been with
D. Grant & Co., in executing all their
great contracts.
We are without space and time to devote
to continuation of this article to-day.
We will tomorrow have something more
to say Of the trains at the front, and how
they are handled, and about the gentlemen
who have charge of this great work, all Of
wl1osn are found to be perfect gentlemen
who were especially kind and courteous
to hgery one of our citizens who visited
them.
We omitted in the proper place in this
article to speak of the bridge builders.
They are always in advance of the track
layers, and, Of course, follow the pile driv-
ers. Mr.. O. M. Collins has charge Of the
bridge builders, with Mr.. Alex. Mcleod
as foreman of the gang, which numbers
from 70 to 90 men. Some idea of the
rapidity Of their work may be CLEANED
from what they did on the Marias bridge
The bridge with it's approaches was 72O
feet long. After the tops of the piles
were sawed off, which required but a short
time, they completed the bridge ready for
the rails in one hour and three-quarters
THE TRAINS AT THE FRONT.
The two trains at the extreme front are
under charge Of Conductor J. D. Farrell.
The head train consists of sixteen cars.
Four of these are dining and lodging cars,
which may be called three stories high. In
the middle is the cook house car, with two
of the dining and lodging cars on each
side of it. The upper stories of the din
ing and cook ears contain double rows of
berths- upper and lower-Where the men
sleep. Ahead of the dining car at the ex-
treme front is Donald Grants own car,
which is used for Office and other purposes
for himself and his officials and clerks, as
well as the physicians who look after the
health of the men and attend them in
case of accidents. 1t contains also the
post office, drug store and a small supply
store. Back of the rear dining cars is a
car devoted to uses of blacksmith and
carpenter shop. Behind this are the fat
cars for hauling the steel rails, spikes and
angle bars, and behind the flat c>.rs is the
locomotive which propels the train, it be-
ing entirely in the rear. AS fast as the
fiat cars of rails and other supplies in this
train are unloaded they are backed out
and sent to the rear and loaded ones sub
SO that the train is always kept
about the same size, always plenty of ma
terial on hand and always remains at the
front We omitted to mention that there
was also supply car with provisions in
the train It's total length is about one
sixth of mile.
The second train is under charge of
Mr.. Farrells assistant, Conductor P Ora
dy. This train may be called the timber
and steel train. It moves twice day
noon and night back to what is termed
the front yard leaves it's empty cars,
picks up loaded ones and brings them to
the front. The number of cars handled
each half day averages from % to 40, or
from so to so cars per day, according to
the character Of the work. A full days
work at the front consumes a cars of I